MP and former Tourism minister John Penrose is “delighted” that licensing rules for small events have been relaxed, claiming that it would “breathe new life” into event venues around Britain.

The government recently announced that venues with a capacity below 200 people will no longer require a license to host live music events, which officials say will allow businesses to grow.

Cited by eventmagazine.co.uk, Mr Penrose expressed his approval of the move, stating that all parties involved in the planning of an event will benefit from the removal of red tape. Charities in particular, he claimed, might be more inclined to stage a live event in the future.

However, the MP said that many other types of events are bogged down by “silly bureaucracy”, believing the changes to only supply part of the answer.

“Many plays, local fêtes and other kinds of low-risk entertainment are still hampered by silly bureaucracy and red tape, so I hope this is a first step in a wider campaign to let more people have fun without having to ask for permission first,” said Mr Penrose.

According to hotel-industry.co.uk, the former Minister added that most members of the UK hospitality sector would benefit from the extra freedom if they didn’t have to account for red tape, backing significant change to free up investment.